SFU, SLOT in ‘Peace’ concert two days before doing war

Those planning to attend the week-long events preceding the 2011 World Pipe Band Championships will need to set aside a little more money, as another major pipe band concert has been added to the slate with the “Pipes of Peace” concert at the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre (SECC) showcasing a quintuple bill of top-tier talent.

Both the Simon Fraser University and St. Laurence O’Toole pipe bands will serve as the headline acts at the event on Thursday, August 11th, at 7:30 pm at the 3,000-seat Clyde Auditorium, known as the “Armadillo” because of its distinctive Sydney Opera House-like exterior.

The Grade 2 Lomond & Clyde Pipe Band and the pop piping and drumming group Celtic Spirit will also take the stage, as will Bob Worrall of Canada, who will play solo. The concert is being sponsored by R.G. Hardie & Co. and organized by Jason Prentice of Celtic Spirit.

The concert is not part of the Piping Live! schedule of events, and it follows the night after the traditional “Pre-World’s” concert staged by the Phoenix Honda-Glasgow Skye Pipe Band at the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, which this year has the Grade 1 ScottishPower Pipe Band as the marquee act.

“As a pipe-major, I am constantly looking for ways to motivate people, to keep everyone in the band fresh and focused,” said Pipe-Major Terry Tully of St. Laurence O’Toole, when asked to comment on the event. “The prospect of participating in a joint concert with the Simon Fraser University band, six-time World Champions, ticks all those boxes. It also provides a great opportunity for the public, with two (of the many) contenders for the World’s title in direct comparison with one another so close to August 13th. We’ve always had great respect for the Simon Fraser University band. Hopefully this venture will only serve to strengthen the rapport between both bands.”

Both SFU and SLOT have performed at the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall concert at least twice each in the past.

Tickets to the Pipes of Peace concert are priced at £18.50 each, approximately the same price as the ScottishPower concert the night before. Tickets to each concert are available in advance online directly from the venues.